A PROUD TRADITION ✪ 275 Years of the American Volunteer Fire Service ✪ Supporting Those Who Serve &RQJUDWXODWLRQV9ROXQWHHU)LUH¿JKWHUV FHOHEUDWLQJ\HDUVRIVHUYLFH Supporting the volunteer ¿UH¿JKWHUVRI7H[DV VLQFH Designated as the State Fire Training Agency, 7((;(PHUJHQF\6HUYLFHV 7UDLQLQJ,QVWLWXWH’s Extension and Annual Schools programs provide training and support to thousands of volunteer ¿UH¿JKWHUVHYHU\\HDU7UDLQLQJLV provided at very little or 1940s structure fire exercise, no cost to personnel in Texas. Hensel Park, College Station, Texas For training information: ZZZWHH[RUJ¿UH or . 1957199557 extinguishextinguish on a 1940s automobile, Hensel Park, College Station, Texas C12.6054.06 Supporting Those Who Serve Photo courtesy of the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department From Bucket Brigades to Bucket Trucks How volunteer firefighters perform their job has changed a lot in 275 years … Why they do their job has not. Volunteer firefighters deserve the best protection and for 43 years, VFIS has provided superior insurance products designed to protect firefighters and the communities they serve. Find out why VFIS insures the most emergency service organizations in North America. Visit www.vfis.com or contact Troy Markel at 800.233.1957 or tmarkel@vfis.com. Supporting Those Who Serve Dear Friend, <Pe ^WT]n\eer Åre [er^iKe Pa[ a [\rWnO and XrW]d \radi\iWn in W]r na\iWn FrWU \Pe earTie[\ KWTWniaT daa[, KWUU]ni\a UeUJer[ Pa^e _WrSed \WOe\Per \W ÅOP\ Åre[ \Pa\ \Prea\ened \Peir \W_n[ 5ana WN \Pe Teader[ _PW PeTXed NW]nd W]r na\iWn, inKT]dinO /eWrOe ?a[PinO\Wn and <PWUa[ 2eNNer[Wn, NeT\ \Pi[ KaTT WN d]\a and [er^ed in Wr []XXWr\ed \Peir TWKaT Åre JriOade[ UarSed _Pa\ Kan Je KWn[idered \Pe \P anni^er[ara WN W]r na\iWn¼[ ^WT]n\eer Åre [er^iKe 1\ _a[ in \Pa\ *enRaUin FranSTin NW]nded \Pe =niWn Fire +WUXana in 8PiTadeTXPia ?PiTe \Pere _ere ÅreÅOP\inO [WKie\ie[ in \Pe 6Wr\Pea[\ JeNWre \Pi[, \Pe NW]ndinO WN \Pe =niWn Fire +WUXana i[ KWn[idered Ja Uana \W \r]Ta Je \Pe [\ar\ WN )UeriKa¼[ UWdern ^WT]n\eer Åre [er^iKe 5]KP Pa[ KPanOed in ÅreÅOP\inO \eKPnWTWOa, \raininO, eY]iXUen\, [KWXe, and ]nder[\andinO W^er \Pe Xa[\ aear[ *]\ Wne \PinO Pa[ reUained KWn[i[\en\" ?Pen di[a[\er [\riSe[, W]r na\iWn reTie[ Wn Jra^e ^WT]n\eer[ _PW are _iTTinO \W X]\ \PeU[eT^e[ in ParU¼[ _aa \W XrW\eK\ \Peir neiOPJWr[ and \Peir KWUU]ni\ie[ <Pe[e indi^id]aT[ rW]\ineTa X]\ W\Per[ JeNWre \PeU[eT^e[ and [er^e \Peir KWUU]ni\ie[ _i\PW]\ \PW]OP\ \W Xer[WnaT Oain <Wdaa, W^er XerKen\ WN aTT ÅreÅOP\er[ in \Pe =; reUain ^WT]n\eer[, KarrainO Wn \Pe nWJTe \radi\iWn \Pa\ [\ar\ed _i\P W]r NWreNa\Per[ <Pe 6a\iWnaT >WT]n\eer Fire +W]nKiT i[ dediKa\ed \W [er^inO \Pe ^WT]n\eer Åre, -5;, and re[K]e KWUU]ni\a, XrW^idinO ad^WKaKa, re[W]rKe[, and XrWOraU[ \W []XXWr\ \Pe[e indi^id]aT[ and deXar\Uen\[ 7]r OWaT i[ \W UaSe []re \Pe ^WT]n\eer \radi\iWn KWn\in]e[ \W \Pri^e, nW_ and in \Pe N]\]re ?e PWXe aW] enRWa \Pi[ X]JTiKa\iWn a[ i\ TWWS[ JaKS a\ \Pe JeOinninO[ WN W]r na\iWn¼[ Åre [er^iKe, PW_ \Pe ^WT]n\eer Åre and eUerOenKa [er^iKe[ Pa^e KPanOed W^er \iUe, \Pe KWn\in]ed iUXWr\anKe WN ^WT]n\eer[ in \Wdaa¼[ [WKie\a, and _Pere _e are Peaded in \Pe N]\]re 8Tea[e aT[W \aSe \iUe \W ^i[i\ \Pe 6>F+ _eJ [i\e a\ ___n^NKWrO \W Tearn UWre aJW]\ \Pe WrOaniba\iWn and \Pe re[W]rKe[ and XrWOraU[ _e WNNer <PanS aW] \W aTT \PW[e _PW [er^e aW]r KWUU]ni\ie[ and SeeX W]r na\iWn and W]r Ki\iben[ [aNe ;inKereTa, +PieN 8PiTiX + ;\i\\TeJ]rO +PairUan 6a\iWnaT >WT]n\eer Fire +W]nKiT ) 8:7=D <:)D1<176" A-):; 7F <0- )5-:1+)6 >74=6<--: F1:- ;-:>1+- 5 A PROUD TRADITION 275 Years of the American Volunteer Fire Service THE HERITAGE AND EVOLUTION OF AMERICA’S VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE .....10 By Craig Collins THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL ......................................................20 By Kimberly Quiros VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE TODAY ....................................................................28 By Eric Seeger FROM BURN TO BLAZE ....................................................................................36 The New Rules for Setting Recruitment and Retention on Fire By Eric Seeger WOMEN IN VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTING .............................................................46 By Vera Marie Badertscher TRAINING .........................................................................................................52 Building Knowledge, Skills, and Commitment By David A. Brown EQUIPMENT EVOLUTION KEEPS VOLUNTEERS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ................58 By David A. Brown COMMUNITY CONNECTION ................................................................................66 Between Emergencies, Volunteer Firefighters Bond with Those They Serve By David A. Brown REPRESENTING EXCELLENCE ...........................................................................74 Four Departments Portray the Commitment of Our Nation’s Volunteer Fire Departments to Keeping Communities Safe By Eric Seeger Supporting Those Who Serve A PROUD TRADITION: 275 YEARS OF THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE 6 ARMY RESERVE THE U.S. ARMY SALUTES OUR HOMETOWN HEROES. goarmy.com/reserve ©2012. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved. A PROUD TRADITION: 275 YEARS OF THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE GO A National Volunteer Fire Council publication Produced by Faircount Media Group STRAPLESS 701 N. West Shore Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609 Tel: 813.639.1900 www.faircount.com EDITORIAL Editor in Chief: Chuck Oldham Managing/Project Editor: Ana E. Lopez Editor: Rhonda Carpenter Editor: Iwalani Kahikina Assistant Editor/Photo Editor: Steven Hoarn Contributing Writers: Vera Marie Badertscher David A. Brown, Craig Collins Kimberly Quiros, Eric Seeger DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Art Director: Robin K. McDowall Designer: Kenia Y. 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Call or email us today! H.O. Bostrom Company www.hobostrom.com [email protected] ©Copyright 2012 National Volunteer Fire Council. All rights reserved. Published by Faircount LLC under exclusive written agreement with the National Volunteer Fire Council. Reproduction of editorial content in whole or in part ÓÈÓx{ÓäÓÓÓÊUÊnääÎÎÓx{£x without written permission is prohibited. Reproduction of articles and photographs, in whole or in part, contained herein is prohibited without expressed written consent of the National Volunteer Fire Council and the publisher, with the exception of reprinting for news media use. Printed in the United States of America. Permission to use various images and text in this publication was obtained from the National Volunteer Fire Council, and in no way is used to imply an endorsement by the National Volunteer Fire Council for any claims or representations therein. None of the advertising contained herein implies National Volunteer Fire Council endorsement of any private entity or enterprise. The National Volunteer Fire Council does not assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any representation made therein, nor the quality or deliverability of the products themselves. THE HERITAGE AND EVOLUTION OF AMERICA’S VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE By Craig Collins he volunteer Åre service is deeply rooted in the American tradition. To understand the Åre service today, it is important to look back at how our nation¼s Åre service began and Tthe evolution it has undergone since the Årst ofÅcial volunteer Åre company was formed 275 years ago. Fire has been a threat in America since the time oN the Årst Crowded close together in wood-frame dwellings typically with European arrivals. It did not take long for the early settlers to real- thatched roofs · and, incredibly, with chimneys often made of wood ibe Åre¼s destructive potential · from the start, it altered lives and · the early settlers lived in constant danger of Åre. FireÅghting was communities in the New ?orld. The blabe that struck the Årst generally understood to be the responsibility of all able-bodied males colonial settlement of Jamestown destroyed homes and storehouses in a community, and Åres were typically suppressed by bucket brigades containing food, medicine, ammunition, and most of the settlers¼ · lines of people passing buckets from a water source to a Åre. These e`tra clothing. Over the long ensuing winter, brigades were rarely effective. many settlers died of malnutrition or expo- Until technology evolved to replace the sure. Capt. John Smith, the young leader of bucket brigade, civic leaders focused their ef- the settlement, lamented their lack of caution. forts on Åre prevention and detection. In , ¹I begin to think,º he wrote, ¹that it is safer John ?inthrop, governor of the Massachusetts for me to dwell in the wild Indian country Bay Colony, outlawed wooden chimneys and than in this stockade, where fools acciden- thatched roofs. In , New Netherlands tally discharge their muskets and others burn Governor-General Peter Stuyvesant passed a down their homes at night.º similar code, appointed four Åre wardens in Fire also played a fortuitous role in the the city of New Amsterdam, and gave them founding of New Amsterdam · later New the authority to inspect chimneys and levy York · when, in the winter of , a Åre Ånes.